1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of medical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to therapeutic walkers and devices for preventing tipping of a walker during use. Embodiments of the inventive anti-tipping device can be retrofitted to existing walkers and have at least three or more degrees of freedom relative to the walker along which the anti-tip device can be adjusted to provide for a walker with customizable safety supports.
2. Description of the Related Art
A walker is a medical device primarily for elderly or disabled people who could benefit from assistance or support for maintaining balance or stability while walking or standing. Typically, a standard walker has a frame with four legs raising the walker to about waist or hip height. The top of the frame typically lies in a horizontal plane and during use is gripped by the hands of the user. The walker user supports his or her body weight through their arms which are in turn supported by the walker. Depending on the ability of the person using the walker, the front legs of the walker may or may not be equipped with wheels and the rear legs of the walker can have caster type wheels or glides, such as part of a tennis ball mounted on the bottom of the walker legs for smooth contact with the floor. As a general rule, the more mobile the walker the less mobile the user.
To begin using a walker from a standing position, the person stands with the frame of the walker surrounding the front and sides of their body. The user's hands grip a top portion of the frame of the walker and the user's weight can be supported by the walker through the user's hands and arms. Traditionally, a user will pick up the walker so that all four legs of the walker are off the floor and then the user will place the walker a short distance ahead of the user's starting position. Alternatively, a walker with wheels on the front legs can be moved by the user by lifting only the rear legs of the walker off the floor and then pushing the front wheeled legs of the walker forward a short distance. Similarly, a walker with wheels or gliders also on the rear legs can be pushed forward by way of a sliding motion without lifting the walker off the floor, which is especially beneficial for those with little arm and/or hand grip strength. In any case, the user then steps forward to meet the walker and repeats this process of mobility.
To begin using a walker from a seated position, a user is typically instructed to raise himself or herself up to a standing position without using the walker and then once standing shift their weight to the walker. This generally involves the patient using their arms to push downward against the support in which the user is seated. This technique usually assumes the support in which the patient is seated is stable against potential movement which can be caused by the force exerted by the patient on the support during the attempt to stand, whereas current walkers are typically not as stable to be able to resist such force.
It is instinctive, however, for a patient in a sitting position to instead reach forward toward a walker before attempting to stand. By reaching for the walker while seated and instead of pushing down on the support in which the patient is sitting, the patient has a tendency to pull back on the walker and rely on the walker for support to stand up. Unfortunately, conventional walkers are not equipped to accommodate the patient in this situation and the walker as a result is at risk of tipping back toward the user. With only two legs of the walker on the floor, the walker is less stable and/or may tip over backwards altogether. Under these circumstances, the patient is at a greater risk of falling because the patient has entrusted his or her weight to the walker which cannot now provide adequate support.
Additionally, it has been found that conventional walkers may also have a tendency to tip forward during use. For example, a patient may begin to lose his or her balance when standing or may shift too much of his or her weight forward onto the walker when attempting to stand from a sitting position. Likewise, traditional walkers are also not equipped with means for deterring or preventing tipping of the walker in a sideways direction.
Consequently, a need exists for a device for preventing or deterring a walker from tipping over backward, forward, or sideways and/or for stabilizing the walker during use. Such devices will lead to less injuries resulting from the use of walkers and an increase in confidence of patients otherwise apprehensive about gaining mobility with medical devices, such as walkers.